Reconciliation for Europe

One example of this is the travelling exhibition ‘Reconciliation for Europe’, which has already been shown in various European cities. After stops in Rome, Warsaw and Görlitz, the exhibition can now be seen from 1 December 2025 to 15 January 2026 in the Red Town Hall in Berlin.


The exhibition highlights the significance of the letter in which Bolesław Kominek, Archbishop of Wrocław and a native of Silesia, wrote the famous sentence ‘We forgive and ask for forgiveness’. This message inspired a new perspective in relations between nations, especially between Poles and Germans, and paved the way for dialogue and mutual respect. It also marked the beginning of the search for mutual understanding after the Second World War and, despite the division of Germany and the Iron Curtain that divided Europe into a democratic West and a communist East, became a foundation for the later reunification of Europe.

On display are facsimiles of the documents of the reconciliation correspondence, including the manuscript of the letter from the Polish bishops written in German by Archbishop Bolesław Kominek. The final version of the message to the German bishops and the response from the German hierarchy are also presented.

‘I am very pleased that we are able to show this important exhibition on German-Polish reconciliation here, which represents a very decisive moment in European history,’ said Florian Hauer, State Secretary for Federal, European and Foreign Affairs, Senate Chancellery Berlin.

‘I am convinced that this message has become reality. Forgiveness is not only a religious message, but a universal human message. It must be nurtured, like all the values in our lives. Because nothing is given to us forever,’ said Ryszard Kessler, Vice-President of Wrocław.

The exhibition

It shows how this message has shaped the future of Europe and how important it is, especially today, to remember these events.

The exhibition is co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage as part of the ‘Inspiring Culture 2025–2026’ programme.